M Audio Oxygen 88 Ableton tutorial – connect, setup & midi map

The Oxygen 88 from M Audio is an incredibly versatile midi keyboard and is a powerful tool when used in combination with Ableton Live. The Akai MPK Mini has a wealth of features that make it perfect for use with Ableton Live.

In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about using the M Audio Oxygen 88 with Ableton Live. including how to connect, setup and midi map the Oxygen 88.

Article Contents

  1. Does the M Audio Oxygen 88 work with Ableton Live?
  2. Does the M Audio Oxygen 88 come with ableton Live included?
  3. How to connect the Oxygen 88 to ableton
  4. How to midi map the M Audio Oxygen 88 in Ableton Live
  5. The Limitations of midi mapping the Oxygen 88
    1. Saving your Oxygen 88 Midi Mappings is cumbersome
    2. Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one
    3. Limited Ableton parameter options to map to
    4. A great solution to these problems
  6. Why can’t I hear my Push in Ableton Live?

Does the M Audio Oxygen 88 work with Ableton Live?

In summary, the M Audio Oxygen 88 is usable with Ableton Live.

Ableton live provides a default midi remote script for the Oxygen 88, meaning it will work with Ableton Live as soon as you connect it (see the section below on how to connect to ableton).

All editions of Ableton Live, from Intro to Suite, can be used with any device that sends out MIDI data. This is the case for all versions of Live, 9, 10, or 11. Seeing as the Oxygen 88 is a MIDI capable device, it is fully suited to function with Ableton Live.

You can create your own Ableton midi mappings with ease, giving you the power to control many of the features of Ableton Live with your Oxygen 88.

Does the M Audio Oxygen 88 come with ableton Live included?

Yes the Oxygen 88 comes with a free copy of Ableton Live Lite. Although it has unlimited usage, the available features are a lot less than what is available in the full versions of Ableton Live Standard or Suite.

There are three main versions of Ableton Live: Intro, Standard and Suite. Whilst Intro and Standard are highly functional, Suite includes an additional 70GB library of sounds, in comparison to Standard’s 10GB.

If you prefer to have all the Audio and MIDI effects, we recommend getting Ableton Live Suite, because it comes with much more of them than the Standard edition.

How to connect the Oxygen 88 to ableton

Connecting the M Audio Oxygen 88 with Ableton Live is pretty simple, and when the two are linked you’ll be able to adjust the software’s parameters from your midi keyboard.

1. Connect the Oxygen 88 to your computer via USB.
First, connect the USB cable to both the Oxygen 88 and your computer.
2. Launch Ableton Live and open the MIDI preferences.
Double click the Ableton Live icon to launch the software. Then, in the top menu of Ableton, go to the Preferences menu by opening the ‘Live’ menu and clicking ‘Preferences’.
3. Select the Oxygen 88 from the list of available devices.
Click the the MIDI Sync tab, make sure that Input and Output for the Oxygen 88 are checked.
4. Ensure that the proper ‘Track’, ‘Remote’ and ‘Sync’ boxes are checked for both input and output.

  • Track: When checked, this allows MIDI notes and CC messages to be sent/received.
  • Sync: This option enables MIDI clock syncing between Ableton live and the external device.
  • Remote: Allows external MIDI controllers to remotely control parameters within Ableton Live.

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In the ‘MIDI’ section of this tab, make sure the ‘Track’ and ‘Remote’ boxes are checked for both the Input and Output of the Oxygen 88 (Sync can also be optionally checked).

The Oxygen 88 will now be setup and ready to use with Ableton Live.

How to midi map the akai mpk mini in Ableton Live

After successfully connecting the M Audio Oxygen 88 to Ableton live following the steps above, you can now MIDI map the physical knobs, pads, keys etc on the device to functionality within Ableton Live by doing the following:

1. Select the MIDI Map Mode button in the top right corner of the Live window. The button should turn orange, indicating that the MIDI Map Mode is enabled.
2. Select the parameter you wish to control in Ableton by clicking it with the cursor, the parameter will become highlighted.
3. Move a control on the Oxygen 88, such as a knob or fader.
4. The parameter you selected is now mapped to the physical control which you moved on the Oxygen 88.
5. Moving the physical control on your Oxygen 88 will now move the position of the corresponding parameter in Ableton.
6. Repeat steps 2 – 4 for any other parameters you wish to map.
7. When you’re finished mapping, press the MIDI Map Mode button again to disable it.

The Limitations of midi mapping the Oxygen 88

Ableton’s midi mapping system is a great solution for quickly mapping your Oxygen 88, however, you must take into account some potential limitations…

Saving your Oxygen 88 Midi Mappings is cumbersome

Mappings are saved along with your Ableton session. Therefore, if a new session is created, you must re-map all of your controls.

Ableton MIDI mappings are one-to-one

A one-to-one MIDI mapping means that each control on your Oxygen 88 can only be assigned to a single Ableton Live parameter.

Limited Ableton parameter options to map to

Ableton’s internal midi mapping mode is unfortunately missing many control options. Options such as selected track and selected device control aren’t possible using this method. You can see a list of all available Ableton midi mapping options here.

We have a great solution to these problems

If you’re looking to get the most out of your Oxygen 88, our Ableton Midi Script Creator tool ‘Control Surface Studio‘ is exactly what you need!
With it, you’ll be able to:
– save and re-use your Oxygen 88’s mappings across all of your Ableton Live sessions,
– map multiple Ableton parameters to a single control on your Oxygen 88,
– access many more Ableton parameter controls for your Oxygen 88, than Live’s internal midi mapping mode allows.

Learn more about Control Surface Studio and see how it can help you by clicking here!

FAQ / Troubleshooting

Why can’t I hear my Oxygen 88 in Ableton Live?

There are several possible causes:
1. Make sure that the Oxygen 88 is connected properly to your computer via USB and that the cable is not damaged.
2. Make sure that the Oxygen 88 is selected as your audio input and output device in your audio settings.
3. Make sure that the correct driver is installed for the Oxygen 88.
4. Make sure that the Oxygen 88 is selected as the input device in Ableton’s MIDI Preferences.